


Summer Rain

by Swanny_Writer



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst (for the JunHoon chapter), Ch. 2 is the epilogue and wraps up JunHoon, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmate-Name On Wrist, WonHui starts and officially ends in ch. 1, WonJunHoon are all kinda confused and indecisive, i tagged the JunHoon chapter as angst but its just sad, soulmates AU are hard to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 06:24:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11397024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swanny_Writer/pseuds/Swanny_Writer
Summary: Wonwoo comes to learn that finding your soulmate is not always the most difficult part. It’s what you do once you find him. A lesson that Jihoon wishes he never had to learn.(Or the one where WonHui meet because of an umbrella and JunHoon talk about ice cream)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To @dylanocreys for the umbrella meeting prompt. Also the title is a Jonas song! C:
> 
> To SJ for pushing me to write WonHui sharing an umbrella (do you regret talking to me yet? i'm gonna drag you everywhere with me from now on lol jk ;D)

 

_Moon Joonhwi_.

Those are the words imprinted on Wonwoo's skin. The first words he attempted to copy with crayons on the back of his parents’ spare papers instead of filling up his coloring books. Those are the strokes he meticulously drew with his finger in the sandbox, diligently maintaining the shape of the letters in the slippery sand, while the other kids played around him. Tried as he might, though, his reproductions never looked quite right, never as pretty as the black letters across his pale wrist. But he kept at it, feeling a sense of satisfaction whenever his pencil traced the familiar lines onto paper. For the first few years of his life, those mysterious words acted like a spell, a secret mantra. Whenever he felt sad or scared, his fingertips would gravitate toward the writing and draw over the lines. The relief always came instantly, like a soft and warm blanket covering his shaking shoulders. To Wonwoo, those words were nothing short of magical. 

Of course, he didn’t learn what they truly meant until much later in life.

Moon Joonhwi is the name of his soulmate. 

One would think that living in a world where technology is abundant enough to communicate with just about anyone, it would be easy to locate and talk to your soulmate, especially when you are lucky enough to have his full name at your disposition.

Unfortunately for Wonwoo, through a series of various events, he came to realize that things weren’t always that simple. First of all, just because he has his soulmate’s name on his wrist doesn’t necessarily mean that they had his on theirs. A lesson he learned his first year of high school, when he met three sophomores in his gym class. 

Wonwoo had been very surprised when Seungcheol claimed Jeonghan as his soulmate, because while _Jeonghan_ is imprinted across Seungcheol’s wrist, the blond has _Jisoo_ on his. And to make matters more complex, _Seungcheol_ is inscribed on Jisoo’s skin. They seem to get along fine, despite the fact that not one of them has a reciprocating soulmate. 

To Wonwoo, though, it looked like a hot mess. More than that, he worried about his own situation. His friends were fortunate enough to have found each other and closed the triangle, so to speak. But imagine what would happen if Seungcheol and Jeonghan hadn’t found Jisoo. Would it have worked at all? What if Moon Joonhwi has someone else’s name on his wrist? What if there is no third person? Or worse, what if there’s another person with _Moon Joonhwi_ on their wrist, and that person’s name is on his? That would leave Wonwoo as the sad and lonely guy without a reciprocating soulmate. 

That scary and depressing possibility should be enough to deter Wonwoo from finding and contacting Moon Joonhwi, whoever he is. However, life is seldom that straightforward. 

During his sophomore year, he befriended a couple who had lockers next to his: Mingyu and Minghao. Apparently, they discovered they were each other’s soulmate on their first day of elementary school, during roll call. While Mingyu was ecstatic, Minghao had been less than inclined. The couple bickered _all the time_ over practically every little thing. Wonwoo couldn’t understand how they managed to stay together for so long. Not only that, they were basically inseparable. 

It’s not to say that they hated, or even disliked, each other. In fact, on the rare minute or two that they weren’t throwing insults and punches, they took great care of each other. Like how Mingyu packs lunch for the two of them, mindful of Minghao's preferences. In return, Minghao always carries a pocket-sized first aid kit, ready to whip it out the moment Mingyu so much as gets a paper cut. On more than one occasion—Mingyu has yet to go through a day without any sort of accident—Wonwoo had witnessed the tender way Minghao grabbed Mingyu’s elbow and placed the bandaid on it. Even though his scolding was harsh, his actions were gentle. Afterward, Wonwoo also didn’t fail to note the way he let Mingyu hold his hand for the rest of the day.

Just like the seniors, these two seemed to have worked things out despite the unorthodox arrangement. However, much like the seniors, the situation made Wonwoo ponder the chances that he and Moon Joonhwi didn’t get along. Bickering and fighting every waking moment with the person you are supposed to be destined to spend the rest of your life with is too exhausting and stressful. Wonwoo would be constantly worrying about the fight that ends it all, constantly on edge, anger and frustration barely in control under the surface. That is not the way he wants to spend the rest of his life.

As if the lessons he’s learned from observing his friends weren’t more than sufficient to convince him he’s better off alone, another important detail comes to Wonwoo’s knowledge the summer before his junior year. He and his group of friends were hanging out at Soonyoung’s house. They all liked going to his house because he had been allowed to move out into the garage. The slight separation from the main floor gave the illusion of independence, and so the teenagers gobbled it up. 

It’s late afternoon when they decided on ordering pizzas and putting on a musical Soonyoung had insisted on watching for weeks now. Apparently, the drama club was considering adapting it to the stage for the Fall Festival. Not that Wonwoo really cared. He knew Soonyoung would drag him and the rest of their friends to the show regardless of the topic.

They all settled in for the movie, stuffing their stomachs with pizza and soda. The plot was typical, but the actors were decent and the songs were catchy, so Wonwoo swallowed most of his complaints along with the food. It’s not until the second act, when a certain character makes his first appearance, that Wonwoo starts paying attention. Well, not exactly. He stops paying attention to the plot, and devotes his entire focus on the one actor.

For the first time in his life, Wonwoo comes to understand how Seungkwan develops so many celebrity crushes. Wonwoo would never _ever_ admit it out loud, but all those poems and clichés about how love at first sight is like lightning struck to your heart are actually accurate. He thinks he can actually hear his ears ring, which is a miracle considering how deafeningly loud his heart is beating. Thankfully, his friends are either too busy throwing popcorn at each other, gossiping, or actually watching the movie to notice his internal turmoil.

On screen, the actor laughs at a joke that flies over Wonwoo’s head. He’s too distracted by the way his dark hair flutters in the breeze, the shoulder-length strands sweeping across the high cheekbones. Idly, Wonwoo wonders how it’s possible for a person to look so perfect from every angle. Before the movie is over, the hopelessly smitten boy already knows he’ll have to sit through the credits in order to find the actor’s name. 

When the time comes for the tiny writing to roll up the black screen, Wonwoo chokes on his own saliva. 

How cruel could life be?

Clearly a whole lot, because the words _Moon Joonhwi_ all but scream at him. 

At first, he thinks he’s mistaken. Maybe the speed and the small font messed with his eyesight. Maybe the name is similar enough that his brain—too used to the words on his wrist—confused itself. Maybe it’s wishful thinking. 

Whatever the case may be, he has to find out the truth before the nerves eat at him. 

He pulls out his phone and does a quick search through the movie’s cast. And then there’s no more denying it. Moon Joonhwi, or Wen Junhui, is indeed the person who took his breath away and whose name is printed on his skin. His soulmate is a celebrity. _Wonderful_. Talk about complicated… 

For a while, he spends his time scrolling through all the available pictures of Moon Joonhwi on the internet, searching for a clear shot of his wrist to see if he could spot his own name inscribed there. However, the shots are either too blurry, or obscured by clothing and accessories. All Wonwoo can make out is some squiggly lines across the tan skin. Just enough to give him hope, and at the same time making it incredibly difficult to forget the whole ordeal. He needs some advice, a second opinion.

His eyes skim across the garage, skipping over the love triangle in the corner playing monopoly with an affronted Seungkwan and nervous Seokmin. He ignores Mingyu and Minghao fighting over who gets to sit next to Soonyoung—sometimes Wonwoo thinks they just pick fights randomly without rhyme or reason. He decides not to ask Hansol and Chan, who seem to be in the middle of an intense staring contest, hands hovering over the plastic toy hammer. Finally, he locates the one person he thinks he can count on.

Jihoon is sitting at Soonyoung’s desk, head bobbing up and down to the tune emitted through his headphones. When Wonwoo walks up, he notes that the amateur musician is working on some lyrics, pencil tapping to a beat only he can hear. Wonwoo feels a little guilty about interrupting, but he’s in a bind right now, and he can’t ask anyone else. So he stands to the side and waits until the shorter boy notices him and slides the headphones off.

“What is it?”

Wonwoo rubs the back of his neck. “I know you don’t like talking about your soulmate,” he starts hesitantly, stealing a glimpse at the yellow armband at the bottom of Jihoon’s right hand. 

The younger raises a brow as if to say, _Then why are you bringing it up, idiot?_

“But I need help with mine.”

This time, both brows rise in surprise. He’s got the musician’s attention now, as the latter spins around in the swirly chair to face him straight on. Jihoon makes a small wave of the hand to tell him to elaborate. Once he does, Jihoon sighs.

“Do you think I should even try?”

“That’s up to you. Are you ready to get your heart broken?” his friend deadpans. 

Wonwoo isn’t sure how to reply. 

“Because that’s ultimately what’s gonna happen. He’s a famous actor aimed at teenage girls, which means he’ll never be yours. He’ll always belong to the masses. Even if you do end up meeting and sparks fly or whatever, you won’t be allowed to be seen together, or even acknowledged. He’ll have to constantly hide your relationship, while at the same time going out with others for PR.” Jihoon pauses a second to let Wonwoo absorb his words.

“And knowing you, you’ll either get frustrated by the treatment, or feel guilty for dampening his career. Either way, I don’t see the relationship lasting.”

Wonwoo sighs, staring at the corner of the desk. “But aren’t soulmates supposed to be destined partners?”

“In a perfect world, maybe.” Small, delicate hands rub tiredly over a pale face. “Just because you’re someone’s soulmate doesn’t mean you _have_ to be with them. You still have the choice to go out and find them or not. Sometimes it’s best if you just mind your own life and business. That’s what I think, anyway.” Putting an end to the conversation—which lasted a whole lot longer than Wonwoo expected—Jihoon turns back to his notebook. “A soulmate doesn’t guarantee happiness, you know,” he concludes before slipping the headphones over his ears again.

Wonwoo isn’t sure how the rest of the evening went, just that it progressed into a sleepover. More than half of his brain is spent analyzing Jihoon’s speech, mulling over the outcome of reaching out to someone famous. He had been naive to think that it would be easy: an introduction and a flash of the wrist, a happy Wonwoo and Moon Joonhwi. But now that he’s climbed down from the thrill and daydreams, he recalls the lessons he’s observed from his friends, and he withdraws all the silly fantasies. Jihoon is right. A soulmate doesn’t guarantee happiness. And in that case, Wonwoo thinks he’s better off following Jihoon’s example by pretending he doesn’t have one.

That should eliminate all chances of headaches and heartbreaks, right?

 

__________________________

 

There’s something exhilarating about summer showers. In comparison to the angry and violent storms of winter, there’s no loud rumbling of thunder to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on ends, no fleeting flash of lightning brightening the faraway mountain range like a warning of the impending tempest. 

Summer showers are nice because they are calming and refreshing. The rhythmic and relaxing pitter-patter of the raindrops falling on the top of the umbrella, the swishing of footsteps as people hurry down the wet streets. It’s the way the temperature is not quite cold nor hot, but pleasant enough to relieve the heat from the previous week of scorching weather. It’s how the rain feels both warm and cool to the touch, carrying that smell of moisture and earth. It’s how the flora seems to bloom and cherish the celestial shower, swaying and dancing to the breeze, adorned by shiny spheres of water.

Wonwoo doesn’t like mornings, but he enjoys rainy days. 

It’s a typical Monday, and the now the high school junior is headed for school like he has been all year. One hand gripping the umbrella, he strides down the street, avoiding puddles but finding pleasure in watching the normally boisterous neighborhood turn quieter. He puts a hand out beyond the protective bubble of the umbrella, catching the small drops into his palm. 

Distracted as he is, Wonwoo doesn’t notice the person standing under the awning of the convenience store until he almost ploughs into the poor victim. The guy appears to be about his age, although since he's wearing a hoodie, it’s a little difficult to tell for sure. There’s a plastic bag hanging around his wrist, so Wonwoo guesses he just came out of the store. What makes the student pause is the fact that the shopper seems to be struggling with opening his umbrella. The mechanism is probably stuck, Wonwoo thinks, approaching to see.

“Hey, do you need help with th—Ooof!”

“Oh my god! I am so sorry! Are you okay?”

Holding his stomach, Wonwoo winces and manages to let out some sort of grunt to indicate he’s still breathing. Although he thinks there might be a bruise forming now. At least the guy’s umbrella opened, he thinks wryly.

“I’m fine,” Wonwoo reassures him, straightening out. 

But the other boy doesn’t look convinced as he digs into his shopping bag and pulls out a snack pack. “Here. Please accept my sincerest apologies.”

“Um…” To say that Wonwoo is taken aback by the formality would be an understatement. He switches his stare from the semi-obscured face to the extended hand with the snacks. “You really don’t need to. It was just an accident. I’m fine.”

“I insist,” the other urges, shaking the snacks toward Wonwoo. “Please take it.”

Wonwoo could glimpse a flash of guilt reflected in the large animated eyes, and he finds himself reaching out to him. “Okay. Thanks.”

The stranger lowers his face sheepishly, but Wonwoo catches a small smile hanging off of his face before he’s left staring at the oversized hoodie again. A funny feeling swirls in his stomach, replacing the prior pain from where the umbrella hit him. There’s no name for it, but it’s not exactly unpleasant.

Wonwoo’s inner reflection is interrupted, however, by the faint ringing of the school warning bell. The boys snap their heads toward the direction of the high school, which is only a block a way. Thanks to the silence surrounding them, the echo of the bell is easily carried across the streets.

“Oh no!” the new acquaintance exclaims. “I gotta go!” He grabs his umbrella tighter and runs out from the awning. “It was nice meeting you!” he calls over his shoulder as he dashes away.

For reasons Wonwoo refuses to acknowledge, he senses himself cracking a smile as he looks away from the shrinking figure to the packet of jelly snacks given to him. He still has no idea who the guy is, but it wasn’t a bad first meeting.

_Summer showers are nice_.

 

__________________________

 

 

“Did you guys see the new kid?” Soonyoung asks at lunch, dropping his tray on the table next to Seokmin. 

The latter looks up from his geometry homework, sandwich halfway to his mouth. “We have a new student?”

“Yeah, he’s in my math class,” Soonyoung answers, digging into his noodles. “I was going to say hi, but he kinda got mobbed, so I figured I’d wait.”

“Great,” Seungkwan mutters on the other side of Wonwoo. “Another pretty face. How soon are you gonna recruit him into your cult, Jeonghan?”

The senior laughs, sipping on his soda. “Well, if he’s able to get a mob on his very first day, he gotta be quite a sight to behold.”

“Just give the kid a break,” Seungcheol adds to the conversation, sliding into his usual seat. “It’s his first day. I’m sure he’s pretty overwhelmed.”

“True,” Soonyoung concedes. “He looks really reserved and shy, kept to himself most of the period, eyes straight forward if they’re not on his notes." To get his point across, he makes sharp moves from his eyes to the front, then he laughs as he recalls, "Totally freaked out when they started to crowd around him when the bell rang.” The comment is punctuated with another chuckle. 

“You should have invited him to join us,” Jisoo suggests casually. “Can’t be easy being a new student, especially so close to the end of the year.”

“I’ll try tomorrow,” Soonyoung answers. “Should probably try to learn his name, too.”

“He didn’t introduce himself?” Mingyu asks, handing Minghao the second lunch box. “That’s rude.”

Not lifting his gaze from the container, the latter picks up the chopsticks. “Well, not everyone enjoys having the spotlight on them all the damn time.”

“Hey!” his boyfriend exclaims. “Don’t make it sound like I’m thirsty for constant attention.”

A sly smirk appears at the corner of the shorter second year. “Never name dropped, but if the shoe fits…”

“Hmph!” Mingyu frowns and turns away, aggressively shoving rice and sautéed pork into his mouth.

“Well, anyway,” Soonyoung goes on as if the duo didn’t speak up at all. The whole group has come to learn to tune the fighting out over the years. “Mr. G just grabbed his paperwork and told him to take an empty seat. Then he got started on the lecture.” 

“Sounds like him,” Jeonghan muttered. “I hated his class.”

“You slept through most of it, though,” Seungcheol points out, which earns him a pinch on the back of the hand. “Ouch!” he hisses, yanking his injured hand away from the blond’s claws. 

“There there,” Jisoo coos, patting the disgruntled senior’s shoulder. “We should all be nice and leave the kids a good impression of us once we graduate.”

The comment receives a loud squawk from the underclassmen, followed by guffaws and snorts. 

“Kinda late for that,” Jihoon says, snark practically dripping off of his voice. 

“Just for that,” Jeonghan scowls, “None of you are invited to the party this weekend.”

“Who says we wanted to go in the first place?” Seungkwan retorts. “Besides, we all know the reason you call us is because you need people to buy and carry your groceries.”

The blond points his fork at the freshman. “Watch it.” 

The kid merely sticks his tongue out in defiance. Then as if suddenly remembering that Wonwoo is sitting next to him, he prods, “You’re awfully quiet today. What’s up?”

Wonwoo shrugs, glancing up from the pages of his book. “Nothing. Just didn’t have anything to add to the conversation.”

“Aren’t you curious about the new guy?” Soonyoung wonders. “He’s in our grade.”

“Not really.”

Soonyoung looks thoughtful for a moment. “Don’t you want to know if he could be your soulmate?” 

Wonwoo’s face remains blank to everyone around him, but internally, he’s frowning. He’s gone half a year without mentioning the subject, and he would’ve liked to keep it that way. Aside from Jihoon, none of their friends knew about his resolution, nor of Moon Joonhwi’s importance in his life. It’s been years since the last time they showed each other the names on their wrists (all except Jihoon, who even back then, had refused to remove the armbands), and so the chances that any of them remembered what’s on Wonwoo’s skin is basically microscopic. After all, the only detail Wonwoo knows about Soonyoung’s soulmate is that she’s named something as unremarkable as Jane Doe. Consequently, he’s not all that worried about them finding out that his soulmate is some famous teenage heartthrob. 

“Not really,” Wonwoo replies now. “I don’t really care about it, to be honest.”

“Since when did you become Jihoon?” Jeonghan wonders with real curiosity, eyes turning round.

On the other side of the table, the before-mentioned boy shoots the senior a searing glare. “We’re not all obligated to follow some sort of cosmic rule.” 

“I know, but…” Jeonghan thinks for a moment, hands unconsciously reaching for the boys on either side of him. “Finding your soulmate is something incredible. You shouldn’t deprive yourself from experiencing it. Besides, you’d also be cheating them out of it.”

Jihoon shrugs, uninterested. “Not my problem.”

Jeonghan heaves a sigh the same way a mother might to a stubborn child. “If you think so… Hopefully you won’t live to regret it.” 

“Life’s full of regrets.”

Soonyoung raises a brow, cheeks stuffed full of food. “Jihoonie’s acting particularly more prickly today,” he remarks. “Is it the rain?”

“No, it’s your dumb questions.”

The hyper drama kid pouts, but gets ignored. 

Wonwoo tunes out the rest of the conversation and resumes his reading.

 

As it turns out, his friends aren’t the only ones curious about the new student. When Wonwoo enters his last period class, he walks into an intense round of gossip concerning the otherworldly looks of the guy. Wonwoo hides his eye roll by moving to his desk and pulling out his notebook. He would have tuned them out too, if he didn’t catch a curious detail: no one knew his name. 

It’s been almost a full day, and so far, none of the teachers had bothered to introduce him to his peers. Moreover, he was even less inclined to answer prompted conversations from the students sitting around him. Now some idiot is wondering if the new student is a deaf-mute, “which would be such a waste of a pretty face.”

Wonwoo rolls his eyes so hard, he fears they might get stuck to the back of his sockets. High school kids are so stupid. 

Gradually, the classroom fills up with students, and the volume of gossip starts to lower as Mrs. S picks up her attendance book. Like every afternoon, she squints her eyes to see the last row of desks and begins to check off the familiar names on the sheet. The bell rings. She clears her throat. Her first sentence is interrupted by the door opening. 

Like a unit, every head turns in the direction of the entry. Wonwoo’s eyes widen, and he stiffens. Hushed exclamations and sharp gasps echo around him. 

Now all the fuss over the guy makes sense. 

But that’s not what makes Wonwoo’s stomach flip flop. It’s the fact that the new student is none other than the guy whose umbrella got stuck this morning. Well, Wonwoo should have figured… 

The boy ducks his head sheepishly, offering the curious classroom a small smile as he hurries over to Mrs. S. He hands her the paperwork, and she nods, beaming brightly at him. 

“Which name would you prefer to go by?” she asks quietly. If Wonwoo weren’t sitting in the front row, he probably would have missed it. 

“I’d like to go by my birth name, please,” the student answers just as softly. Wonwoo feels entranced for that one second before the peace is shattered by the next statement. “Wen Junhui.”

Wonwoo nearly falls off of his chair. 

The commotion draws the attention of the one person he wishes would not notice him. He and Junhui lock gazes, and heat rushes to his face. Recognition flickers across the gentle dark eyes, and a grin spreads across full lips. _Oh, god_. _Why is life so unfair?_ How is he supposed to survive the rest of the year with this guy in his class? Not only that, his name is _Wen Junhui_ , as in… _Moon Joonhwi?_ Wonwoo feels lightheaded. 

His hand automatically clutches at his wrist. The letters on his skin seem to burn, but he presses down on them anyway. He needs the magic to work.

In the midst of his panic, he fails to remember that the only empty seat is right next to his. So of course, Junhui has no real choice but to take it. The moment he settles in, Wonwoo’s back shoots up, ramrod straight. 

Junhui glances at him, delight evident on his face as he smiles timidly. “I’m glad to see you again.”

“Right,” Wonwoo clears his throat, busying himself by getting out his pen. “Me, too.”

The lesson gets underway, and Wonwoo naively thinks he’ll be able to forget about his new desk neighbor. Unfortunately, that proves to be an impossible task. For every two head flicks to the board, he devotes at least one toward Junhui. His gaze lingers over the sweep of black hair, the high nose bridge, slowly taking in the slightly pouty lips and square jaw. The more he stares at him, the clearer it becomes that Junhui is the actor Wonwoo fell head over heels for. Sure, he cut his hair, and his features are sharper now, but it's the same guy. 

This feels like a cruel life joke. A dangling carrot in front of a hungry rabbit. 

It was one thing to believe that your soulmate is someone you’d never be able to meet, something as unattainable as the stars sprinkled across the night sky.

It’s something entirely different when he’s right in front of you, within touching distance. 

How is he supposed to pretend that he doesn’t have one now?

Wonwoo steals another glance, this time targeting the hand with long and tan fingers gripping a pen. But Junhui’s wrist is once again hidden by his sleeve, which engulfs almost his entire hand. He wants nothing more than to reach over and tug the fabric away to see if _Jeon Wonwoo_ is written there. But he doesn’t dare. Because what would he do if it’s someone else’s name? 

The anxious junior forces himself to pay attention to the lesson and keep his eyes facing the front. But the resolve quickly evaporates, and he finds himself sneaking another look.

Only to freeze when he meets Junhui’s gaze. His heart hitches, and he turns swiftly away. But not before he notices the slight pink tints on the other’s cheeks, matching his own.

Somehow, the class eventually ends. The stolen glances and hidden blushes do not. 

Somehow, they are walking through the halls together. Junhui’s new fan club do not follow.

“I never got your name,” a gentle voice says, followed by a tilt of the head.

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

Junhui beams. Wonwoo almost goes blind.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” Junhui echoes as if tasting the syllables on his tongue. The junior wishes he could listen to that voice saying his name forever. 

They stop walking for the new student to extend a hand out. “I’m Junhui.”

His skin tingles the moment their fingers brush together, and he wonders if this is what happens when you touch your soulmate for the first time. But an ugly thought occurs to him. Junhui knows his name now. If _Jeon Wonwoo_ is written on his wrist, shouldn’t he have mentioned it?

_Well, you haven’t told him that you have his name on your skin, either,_ Wonwoo reminds himself. How do people even go about revealing their tattoos in the first place? Now he wishes he had asked more details from his friends.

“Nice to meet you,” he starts to say, then adds, “Although I guess this isn’t our first meeting.”

The responding chuckle causes Wonwoo’s grin to widen all on its own. “Yeah, that was pretty embarrassing. Is your stomach okay?”

“It’s fine. Your jellies healed me.” _Oh, god! What is he saying?!_

He’s just about to combust on the spot, when Junhui laughs again, and he pauses his wish for self-destruction in order to listen to the entrancing sound. “I’m glad,” Junhui says, admitting, “They’re my favorite snacks. I always eat them when I’m stressed.” 

Wonwoo cracks a smile upon seeing the shy expression crossing the other’s face, even more endeared when he turns away and scratches his ear. “I’m more of a veggie snacks kind of guy, but I can understand why you’d munch on them.”

Junhui turns back to him and shifts his weight from heels to toes. “Well, you know what they say: make friends with people who don’t eat the same cereal as you, so you never get worried that they’ll steal it from you.”

A rather unattractive snort escapes as a result of the joke, but it leaves the brown-haired boy too lighthearted to feel embarrassed. 

 

__________________________

 

**TheWon &Only: **his name is Wen Junhui

**Hosh_The_Boss96** : how do you know?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** also, why does that name sound familiar?

**Woozi@1122:** that’s Moon Joonhwi’s real name

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** *gasps*

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** WHAT

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** MOON JOONHWI GOES TO OUR SCHOOL

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** more importantly how do YOU know?

**TheWon &Only: **he’s in my lit class

**Woozi **@1122** : **you talked to him?

**TheWon &Only: **a little, yeah

**Woozi **@1122** : **does he know about IT?

**TheWon &Only: **no

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **wait! what’s going on?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** what does Junhui not know?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** i wanna know!

**Woozi **@1122** : **you don’t need to know

****Hosh_The_Boss96** :** ╥﹏╥

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **betrayed by my own brothers… 

**TheWon &Only: **should i tell him?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **are you talking me or Junhui?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **about*

**Woozi **@1122** : **do you like him?

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **WONU HAS A CRUSH?!

**Woozi **@1122** : **be quiet!

**TheWon &Only: **idk… 

**TheWon &Only: **i don’t want to make it weird

**TheWon &Only: **or like i’m forcing him or something

**Woozi **@1122** : **i take it you haven’t seen his wrist

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **ooooooooo

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **this is about your soulmate!

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **wait a minute!

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **YOUR SOULMATE IS MOON JOONHWI?!!!!

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **AND JIHOONIE KNEW BEFORE ME?!

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **i feel so betrayed ╥﹏╥

**Woozi **@1122** : **shut up! this isn’t about you

**TheWon &Only: **he broke his arm a few weeks ago, so there’s a brace covering it

**TheWon &Only: **i’m not sure i want to know

**Woozi **@1122** : **you can’t be so wishy-washy 

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **i can help! 

**TheWon &Only: **pls don’t

****Hosh_The_Boss96** : **come on, trust me! ;D

 

__________________________

 

Wonwoo isn’t sure what he expected the following day at school, but in hindsight, he should have seen it coming. Among the many qualities that Soonyoung possessed, his ability to make friends is exceptional. 

A skill which is proven still effective when he shows up to their usual lunch table accompanied by a shy Junhui in tow, talking a mile a minute about how the latter will _love_ everyone in the group. His loud and enthusiastic spiel disrupts the current conversation around the table—something about Jeonghan’s party, Wonwoo really isn’t paying attention—and everyone raises their heads toward the approaching figures.

Junhui seems a little overwhelmed by the large group, but there’s a small smile hanging on his lips as he waves hello. Wonwoo watches him calmly, despite the summersaults in his belly, and waits until his gaze sweeps across the new faces. By the time Junhui gets to him, the sheepish smile changes into elation, and his eyes brighten in an obvious sign of joy. 

Wonwoo’s breath hitches, and his heart squeezes. He shifts a little in an attempt to hide how red he feels himself turning. Unfortunately, he ends up elbowing Jihoon in the ribs, prompting the shorter boy to hiss and glare at him. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles.

Across the table, Soonyoung is busy making introductions and pushing Junhui down by the shoulders into the empty seat next to Hansol. Not a bad arrangement if it weren’t for the fact that it placed him right in front of Wonwoo. 

“I snatched him up before any of the drama kids could,” Soonyoung announces proudly, taking the last remaining seat on Junhui’s other side.

“But you’re a drama kid yourself,” Jeonghan points out.

“True. But my loyalty will always remain with the dance crew.” The overactive boy nods for effect. Then he turns to their new friend. “What about you, Junnie? Do you want to dance? We have auditions coming up for next season soon.”

“Umm…” the actor hesitates, eyes darting. “I’ve never taken any formal classes.”

“But you were in that musical,” Mingyu notes. “Or did they hire a body double?”

There’s a nervous laugh. “No, it was… me… I just learned the routines for my own parts. I wouldn’t call myself a dancer, though.”

“No worries, my man!” Soonyoung assures him with an easy smile and a pat on the shoulder. “Just come by one of the practices, try things out. If you like it, you can audition.” Then he leans closer to Junhui’s ear, cupping his hand as if he’s about to share the world’s biggest secret. Wonwoo pretends not to be bothered by the sudden proximity. “I happen to be a very big influence on Coach’s selection of the teams.”

Junhui laughs at the fact that Soonyoung doesn’t know how to whisper, while the rest of the table roll their eyes.

“That’s nepotism,” Seungkwan accuses, waving the ends of his chopsticks toward this side of the crowd. 

“No, because Junhui and I aren’t related,” the dancer retorts smugly. Seungkwan shoots him a disgruntled look.

For a few minutes, the usual random and nonsense conversations float around, exchanging narrators every so often. Wonwoo, as per the norm, hears the rambles more than he listens to their meanings. But today, his distracted state of mind has to do with a certain boy in the flesh rather than characters on pieces of paper. Junhui seems content sandwiched between his new friends, eyes dancing with mirth as he chuckles softly to the tales. He doesn’t say much, aside from when prompted, but it’s easy to see how effortlessly he fits in. The sight, strangely, brings a sense of comfort and peacefulness to Wonwoo. Very similar to the feeling he achieved when he traced Junhui’s name on his skin.

“So I don’t mean to pry,” Jeonghan says casually, but gets interrupted by Seungcheol.

“That’d be a first.”

The wry muttering is heard by the whole group, and a raucous laugh erupts.

Jeonghan narrows his eyes. “Rude!” he shoots at one of his soulmates, but plasters on a friendly smile when he addresses Junhui again. “As I was saying, you don’t have to answer if you feel uncomfortable—” 

“Wow, you must really be fond of him to offer him a way out!” This time, it’s Jisoo who receives a searing glare, but he merely shrugs it off as the others laugh, and he meets Seungcheol’s high-five behind their shared boyfriend. 

A smile appears on Junhui’s face as he observes the scene. “You guys get along very well,” he comments with unrestrained awe.

“Well, they kinda have to,” Seokmin answers with a bright grin. “They’re soulmates!”

A snort resounds from the other end of the table, and all eyes turn to Minghao picking up a piece of chicken. “Being soulmates doesn’t mean shit. I hate mine.”

The whole table groans, much to Junhui’s confusion, while Mingyu pouts and huffs. Just when Wonwoo entertains the idea of a soulmate as something good, Minghao and Mingyu barge in with a hammer to break that notion into tiny pieces.

“Stop lying!” Hansol snickers, lopsided grin always present. “We all know you sneak off behind the baseball field to make out between classes.”

Mingyu chokes on his own spit, while Minghao blinks, then turns his murderous gaze toward his boyfriend.

“Hansol, you idiot!” Seungkwan screeches, “You just signed Mingyu’s death certificate!”

“Wha—” Hansol, poor kid, looks horrified as his eyes bulge out and he stares at the couple, hands waving. “I didn’t mean to—” 

Junhui comes to his rescue. “So then how many people here have found their soulmates?” 

Apparently remembering the fact that they have a new person in the group, Minghao stops trying to kill Mingyu with his glower. Wonwoo is momentarily too relieved at the fact that he won’t have to help break off yet another fight to make sense of Junhui’s comments. Not until he feels Jihoon shift his weight and in the same instance, nudge into him, that the words start to make sense.

_Junhui just asked about soulmates_.

Crap.

He feels the tips of his ears reddening, and he subconsciously pulls at the sleeves of his sweater. Across the way, Soonyoung throws him a look, brow raising, while Seungcheol talks about his own situation, along with the kids at the end of the table.

“I see,” the actor nods. “Sounds like you were lucky.” With a gentle smile, he sweeps his gaze over the others. “What about you guys? Any lucky encounter so far?” 

Is it Wonwoo’s imagination, or does Junhui’s gaze linger on him for a few seconds longer?

“I can’t even tell you how many Sara’s I’ve met,” Soonyoung laments, “It’s a curse how common the name is.”

Chuckling, Junhui pats his shoulder as he listens to the kids discuss their woes and disastrous meetings over the years. As each person volunteers information, Wonwoo grows more and more anxious. How is he supposed to talk about this? 

After Hansol finishes complaining about how there should be apps or websites to make the search easier, all eyes turn to Wonwoo and Jihoon, the only two people who haven’t said anything during the whole conversation. Wonwoo swallows, temperature raising the longer he can feel Junhui staring at him.

“I don’t have one,” Jihoon states simply, tilting his head to drink his soda. He says it so emotionlessly, he might as well have been talking about taxes or something.

Junhui tilts his head, blinking like a confused a kitten. “You don’t have one?”

“Nope.” 

Soonyoung laughs nervously, scratching his head. “Jihoon doesn’t believe in soulmates,” he explains. “Or more like, he doesn’t want to bother with the whole thing.”

“Oh. I see.” He pauses for a second, gaze still lingering over Jihoon’s serious face. Then he asks with a very soft and genuine voice, “Is there a special reason why?”

Jihoon snaps his eyes upward to meet the other’s across the table. Everyone expects him to tell Junhui off, or give the same vague answers he’s been spewing for the past few years. But Jihoon seems to contemplate the question, swirling the words in his mouth before replying, “Because he’s famous.”

The whole table gasps. For two reasons. The obvious one is that this is the first time Jihoon has ever revealed _any_ detail about his soulmate. Not only the sex of the person, but that he’s famous. The second, a little less glaring, but just as shocking, is the fact that he told _Junhui_ of all people. 

“What the heck!” Jeonghan exclaims, still shocked and a little miffed. “How come you’re only telling us now?”

Shrugging, he barely offers a glance at the senior. “No one asked.”

“Bullshit!” Soonyoung spits. “We’ve been trying for years! You always shut us down!”

“So what?” Jihoon is starting to get pissed now. The soft expression he’s been directing toward Junhui has been replaced with an annoyed brow scrunch and downturned mouth corners. “Now you know, it’s not like it’s gonna make any difference.”

“But still!” Soonyoung whines to show him how unfair it is, but Jihoon sighs and returns to his homework.

It should have been a clear dismissal. But Junhui is new. He doesn’t know how to read Jihoon like the rest of them. So he pushes further. Wonwoo feels a tad scared for his life. All the more because he’s supposed to be his soulmate. 

“Just because he’s famous doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world,” he comments, successfully pulling Jihoon’s attention away from his work. Another impossible feat until now. “You could still work things out together. Compromises and such.”

At this, Wonwoo is positive Junhui’s eyes flicker to his for a brief moment. His chest squeezes as a result, and he’s not sure if it’s the mere eye contact or the implication of the action.

“That’s too idealistic,” Jihoon mutters. Then as if a thought occurs to him, he sits up straighter and retorts, stabbing the air between them with his pen. “You’re famous. Would you _really_ be willing to slum it with a regular person?”

There’s no hesitation. Only sincerity reflecting in the clear eyes. “Sure.”

Wonwoo’s breath hitches. He thinks it goes unnoticed, but once again, Junhui looks over at him. For reasons that he can’t explain, he thinks Junhui _knows_. He has no idea how the actor would, because as much as Soonyoung likes to babble, he’s not the sort of person to spill someone’s secret. The potential chance that Junhui knows yet has been refraining from bringing it up makes Wonwoo uneasy. He swallows and unsuccessfully tries to break eye contact.

Next to him, Jihoon is silent. There’s a weird charged silence surrounding the three of them, and Wonwoo isn’t sure if it’s because of the topic, the people involved, or simply because there’s supposed to be a thunderstorm brewing this afternoon. 

The words printed on Wonwoo’s wrist have never burned as much as they did then.

Before the tension could be resolved, the bell rings. Wonwoo all but scrambles out of his seat in an attempt to run away, until he remembers that he and Junhui have the next class together. He tells himself that it’s nerves that make his stomach fill up with butterflies. He’s too preoccupied with matching his pace to Junhui's to notice the lingering stare Jihoon throws their way before he heads to his math class.

By the time they leave the cafeteria, the storm is readily overtaking the town. Raindrops crash violently against the windows of the hallways; the sky is a mixture of gray and black, clouds swirling into each other, hiding the flashes of lightning in their depths. Wonwoo shudders when a clap of thunder resounds. It’s like the whole earth is shaken, the tremors slithering up from the floor up his spine. He doesn’t the mind the rain, but he hates thunderstorms. The phobia probably stems from some childhood event that his brain has long successfully repressed. But regardless of the cause, he tenses up. 

Thankfully for him, the halls are too packed by students and staff for anyone to notice. Especially Junhui. The latter is walking beside him, trying to avoid elbows and backpacks as best as possible. It’s too loud and crowded for their prior conversation to resume, and it gives Wonwoo the opportunity to reflect and breathe, compensating for all the breaths that’s been stolen. All the better to get his mind off of the terrifying tremors and booming sounds.

But it’s hard to focus when he keeps getting shoved this way and that. All the harder still when his hand comes into contact with Junhui’s at a particularly tight juncture in the hall. The sparks that shoot up his arm feel even more potent than the lightning flashing on the horizon. And by the way Junhui swiftly whips his head toward him with wide eyes, he’s certain the actor felt it, too.

They get to class, only to see that the desks have been pushed together in pairs. Is he _ever_ going to get a break? 

Not letting anything show on his face, he walks to his seat and plops down a few seconds before Junhui does the same. They’re too close. He stiffens. Even if he sits still, their arms are only a few centimeters apart. A careless move could connect them, and he’s not so sure how he’d react if more sparks fly. To try to distract himself, he turns his attention to the windows on his left. The sight is just as terrifying, or maybe even worse, than it was merely a few minutes ago. Another shiver creeps up his back. 

He doesn’t mean to. But it’s like his body has been pre-programed from all the years of habit that it reacts automatically. While his eyes are strained on the dark clouds, his thumb finds his wrist under the sleeve of his shirt and starts to trace the letters he’s known by heart. With each stroke, the tension eases and the tightness around his chest loosens. 

“Are you feeling okay?” a gentle voice asks him. 

He doesn’t need to turn around to know whom it comes from. But he does it anyway to come face to face with Junhui. His brows are furrowed, and he looks distressed, like _he’s_ the one on edge. His expression is so disarming, Wonwoo understands how Jihoon was unable to refuse answering him.

“I don’t like thunderstorms,” he confesses, voice so small he’s not sure Junhui can hear him above the caucus of the class in combination with the pelting rain.

A comforting smile is given to him, and it’s almost enough to dispel the agitation. Junhui brings his hand up from beneath the table and rests it close, but not too close, to Wonwoo’s, palm turned upward. It’s an offer, one that he can refuse if he so wishes. 

He doesn’t.

With slight trepidation, he slides his cool fingers over Junhui’s warm skin. Sparks fly, but instead of pulling away, he entwines their fingers together, letting them fill the spaces between each knuckle. It’s amazing how simply holding hands with someone could feel so right. All of the knots inside of him quickly come undone, leaving behind an incredible sense of serenity. Gradually, Junhui’s warmth spreads up his arm and fills his chest. He squeezes once, and immediately, he receives the answering grip. From the corner of his eye, he sees Junhui smile contently, and he looks up to match the expression. 

He’s not sure when they’d begin to lean into each other, but now the distance between them allows for whispers to be exchanged without fear of getting lost to the outside world.  

“Thank you,” he murmurs.

Junhui’s expression turns even more tender, and Wonwoo’s heart clenches. As if he could feel it himself, Junhui’s thumb comes to gently stoke the back of his hand. Wonwoo never thought that anything could top the magic that comes from tracing Junhui’s name on his skin. But he was wrong. So wrong.

There’s about two minutes remaining before class starts, and Wonwoo is determined to spend them like this, not doing anything but hold Junhui’s hand. 

However, something catches his eye. 

Junhui’s sleeve has risen up a little, revealing his wrist. Wonwoo’s doesn’t see his name. Instead he sees a series of scars, large and small. Beneath the discoloration, Wonwoo can make out faint black letterings. If he squints, he can almost make out two Os and an E. He’s not sure what to make of this newfound information. Did Junhui try to erase his soulmate’s name? Did it used to be _Jeon Wonwoo_  under those scars? Is that the reason why Junhui didn’t mention anything when they introduced themselves? Why would he try to remove the name before they even met?

Once again, Wonwoo’s body moves on its own. With his free hand, he reaches over and softly rubs over the spot, silently questioning the action.

Junhui nudges his head against Wonwoo’s, prompting the latter to look up. He sees another smile, smaller this time, but still tender. 

“Don’t frown,” he commands with what he probably thinks is a stern look, but Wonwoo personally thinks it resembles a pout more than anything remotely severe. “I didn’t do that on purpose. It happened when I was really young, during filming, apparently.”

Now Wonwoo’s chest constricts for a different reason, and he caresses the scars again. “It must have hurt a lot.”

His companion shrugs, shoulder brushing against his. “I don’t remember.”

“Then…” Wonwoo swallows. “Do you remember what used to be written here?”

Cracking a teasing smirk, Junhui tilts his head to take a better look at his face, which must be glowing now. “No, but it wasn’t your name.”

It’s like a clap of thunder explodes right next to his ear. He blinks rapidly as if it would make things clearer.

“What?”

A giggle escapes Junhui’s pink lips, and just for the lovely sound, he could almost forget what their owner just said. Unfortunately, the world still hates Jeon Wonwoo, because the final bell rings, and Mrs. S stands up to make the class quiet down. Whatever explanation he wants from Junhui would have to wait until after class ends. 

For now, the brunet brings their joined hands below the desks where he squeezes Wonwoo’s one more time before releasing its hold. With reluctance, Wonwoo picks up his pen and tries not to focus on the lingering sensation of the actor’s warm fingers around his. 

After what feels like an eternity, class finally ends. Usually, literature is his favorite subject, and he often wishes the period would last longer. But not today. Today he needs answers of a different subject. 

He feigns an air of composure as he packs up his pens and notebooks, shooting his neighbor quick glances all the while. The rain still hasn’t let up by the time they leave, once again navigating through the sea of students. This time, though, his hand finds Junhui’s easily. He leads him down the halls and out of the building. 

Wonwoo can’t remember the last time he’s shared an umbrella with another person. But here he is now with Junhui, cramped under a single umbrella as they make their way down the street. It’s not uncomfortable, being huddled like this, but it sure doesn’t do much in terms of coverage. Mostly because the surface area isn’t meant for two people. In terms of efficiency, they would do much better if they used their own. Then they wouldn’t be trying to shield the other by leaning the handle to the side and getting themselves soaked in the process. As it stands now, both of their shoulders are cold and wet in varying degrees. 

They should also be walking faster than a snail’s pace, but since Wonwoo has yet to hear Junhui’s explanation, they’re just wandering the neighborhood without much of a destination in mind. Even if his brain didn’t know, his feet certainly did, because before long, he can see the familiar trees and grass lawns of the park. There’s a hidden bridge that not many people know of, and it seems like a fitting setting. 

Once more, Wonwoo is amazed at how seemingly the two of them are in tune with each other. Junhui doesn’t protest the least when Wonwoo leads them across the lawns, crossing through the thick trees, forgoing the trail in order to reach this special place. As far as Junhui knows, Wonwoo could be a wacko trying to kill him, but the brunet trusts him and follows without queries. 

By the time they get to the destination, there is clear wonder and awe in Junhui’s eyes as he takes in the thriving vegetation and blooming flowers, but he doesn’t question why Wonwoo appears to want to keep the rest of the world out.

Junhui only starts to talk once they stand on the stone bridge, overlooking the small stream.

“It always seemed strange to me how I had two names on my wrists.” His voice is small, it’s almost swallowed up by the rain and singing trees. “Of course, I didn’t know they were names until later on, when I learned about soulmates. By then, though, the name on my right wrist had already been erased by that accident.” He takes a breath, then continues. 

“I have an older cousin who’s had something like that happen to her. She and her soulmate had been together for about a year, when one day, she burned herself. The surgeons tried their best, but afterward, her soulmate’s name could barely be seen. No one really thought much of it until she found out that he’s been cheating on her since a few days before she had her accident. By that logic, it wasn’t exactly an accident, but more like the universe’s way of saying that person is no longer yours.  Now unless my soulmate is someone _much_ older than me, I don’t think they could have been cheating,” he reasons. “So I concluded that maybe they passed away, and that’s what caused this.” Lifting his free hand, he examines the scars over his wrist. 

“I’m sorry,” Wonwoo says quietly, unsure how to respond. 

He can’t even imagine what it must be like to have your soulmate ripped away from you like that. But on the flip side, he’d be a liar if he didn’t acknowledge, at least to himself, that he’s glad to potentially being Junhui’s only soulmate. He knows himself enough to admit that he would not be able to handle sharing him. 

Junhui cocks his head to look at him with a small smile. “Why are you apologizing? You’re still here, aren’t you?”

Wonwoo’s heart lurches. Does he dare hope? 

Reading the expression on his face like a book, Junhui expels a breathy laugh. He lets Wonwoo hold the umbrella over both of them to free his hand in order to pull the sleeve over his elbow and remove the small brace. He rubs the soft under-skin, a fond expression taking over, before his grin widens and he meets Wonwoo’s gaze.

The latter’s heartbeat is competing against the rain, on its way to winning for the loudest rhythm.

At last, Junhui raises his wrist to his companion's eye level. Wonwoo forgets how to breathe as he reads _Jeon Wonwoo_ written there in perfect strokes. He can barely register the blooming grin on his face as he flickers his gaze away from the tan wrist to its owner’s sparkling eyes. His mind is blank, except for the rush of emotions coursing through his veins. A tingling feeling spreads from the core of his body all the way to his toes and fingers.

Junhui giggles, lowering his arm and putting the brace back. “Don’t you have something to say to me, too, soulmate?”

His heart skips a beat, and he lets out an elated laugh. “Can I kiss you?”

Another giggle fills the air, but he can spy the rosy cheeks despite Junhui biting his lower lip and turning to the side as if to observe the surrounding. “At least buy me ice cream first,” he quips, but he’s grinning and leaning their foreheads together. 

Wonwoo responds in kinds, feeling as if he could burst at the seam from how much joy is contained in his body. Gently, he cradles Junhui’s face with one hand, tracing the full bottom lip with his thumb. “When did you know?”

A smirk tugs a corner of his lips as he answers, “When we first met, and you reached for the pack of snacks. Your sleeve pulled up, and I saw my name.”

While Junhui looks very pleased with himself, Wonwoo is left baffled. His eyes widen and his brows rise. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“The bell rang, remember?” he teases. “I didn’t you see you again until we had class, and by then, I knew _you_ knew. And when you didn’t say anything, I got scared and didn’t, either.” 

Wonwoo laughs dryly, shaking his head and managing to rub their foreheads at the same time. “Well, I guess we should be grateful to the rain and thunderstorm, otherwise, we’d still be dancing around each other.”

Junhui grins, agreeing. “Speaking of which,” he points, lifting his gaze away from his companion. “It stopped raining.”

Wonwoo feels a little embarrassed that he was so focused on Junhui that he didn’t even notice such a drastic change, but he ignores it and closes the umbrella. The clouds have gotten much lighter, and one particular spot almost looks like it could make room for the sun.

They take the time to observe the phenomenon long enough to see that indeed, the sun does make an appearance over that group of cloud. Cool sunshine pours over the green leaves, making the droplets sparkle like diamonds around them. In the distance, they can hear birds coming out of hiding and start to sing. It’s a beautiful afternoon after the summer rain, and he glimpses over at Junhui. 

Reaching over, he takes his hand in his and squeezes. The latter turns to face him, eyes shining. 

“If I promise to buy you ice cream later, can I kiss you now?”

Laughing, Junhui pokes his cheek. “You’re such a dork, Jeon Wonwoo.” So he says, but his cheeks are flushed once again, and his gaze is fond. 

Unapologetic, Wonwoo merely shrugs, grinning back. “But you’re stuck with me now, Moon Joonhwi.” 

“Yeah,” he leans forward, and Wonwoo meets him halfway. “I don’t mind.”

Their lips come together gently, and Wonwoo drinks it all in. The softness and the warmth, the way Junhui tastes like rain and sunshine. His head is swimming with sensations so strong and overwhelming, he’s afraid he might just float up and fly away. So he slides his fingers around the flap of Junhui’s jacket to anchor himself, while his arm circles around the other's waist. He smiles into the kiss when Junhui grips the front of his shirt, fitting perfectly into his embrace.

Not for the first time, Wonwoo thinks about how nice summer showers are.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo!
> 
> Another fic that went over my personal word limit. Oops. Also, i was supposed to write like 3-4 other things, but i was attacked by this idea, and i had to get it written out. It's not very fluffy, but coming after the previous Group Chat, it should be a nice change of pace, right? ok, i'm gonna stop rambling now.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! \\(^_^)/
> 
> P.S.: hope to see you on Ch. 2 (which i will apologize in advance for...)


	2. Lemon Sherbet

It’s a nice Saturday, sunny but not too hot. Jihoon makes his way through the park in search of his friends. It’s not a difficult feat considering how loud twelve boys could get, and no sooner has he entered the general area that he hears the usual ruckus, followed by one of them shouting in disgruntlement about the joke that’s been made at his expense. Just the usual antics that make him both want to roll his eyes and laugh along. 

There is something new, though, or rather, some _one_. 

He’s easy to spot, what with his height challenged only by Mingyu. 

Jihoon ignores the fluttering that goes on in his chest as he nears the group and spots Junhui playing a game of telephone with Soonyoung, Minghao, and Chan. Just like he expects, Soonyoung is on the brink of bursting from frustration and laughter as he watches his teammates struggling to understand what he’s trying to tell them. It’s never a good idea to place Junhui in the middle. Actually, it’s not a good idea to let him play this game at all. 

Give him a game involving memorization or dance moves, and he’ll win with flying colors. Or that paper kissing game. The one time Soonyoung successfully convinced them to play, his team (including Junhui) left everyone in the dust. Jihoon has told himself then, just like he’s telling himself now, not to think about how Junhui is good at kissing. 'Kissing' and 'Junhui' shouldn’t even be in the same sentence. Especially when his boyfriend is sitting right there. 

Wonwoo hears low footsteps approaching and tears his eyes away from the game to land on Jihoon. He grins. “Hey, glad you could make it.”

Jihoon hums and takes a seat at the picnic table next to him. “Kinda surprised you’re here. Don’t you spend your Saturdays at the bookstore?”

“Well, you know,” he shrugs, grin turning tender as he looks to the game again. “Junhui wanted to hang out with the group today.”

_Of course_. 

Just like the others, nowadays, he and Junhui always come and go as a unit. Jihoon heaves a sigh, wondering once more why he puts himself through this. It’s been three months since Junhui crashed into their lives, and he’s still not over it. A ridiculous notion when Jihoon made the choice himself. But just because he did, it doesn’t mean that he has to like the outcome.

A clamor erupts around him, and he looks over to see that, as he predicted, Soonyoung’s team lost. They make the switch for Seungcheol’s team, and Wonwoo gets up to join his group leader.

Jihoon knows it’s coming. He’s seen it thousands of times before. And yet—

“Stop laughing at me!” Junhui whines, which only causes Wonwoo to laugh all the harder. “It’s harder than it looks, and you know it!”

“Yeah, yeah,” his boyfriend placates him, smoothing a hand over the ebony strands, indulgent smile hanging off of his face. “But I’m still gonna win.”

Junhui sticks his tongue out, but Wonwoo leans in and pecks his nose. He receives a swat for his trouble, not that he seems to care as he laughs and watches his boyfriend turn bright red. 

Heat also rises in Jihoon, but he knows it’s a different kind, and for a very different reason. He hates that he feels this way, but he can’t help it. 

Moving toward the picnic tables, Junhui's eyes light up the moment they spot the smaller boy. “Jihoonie! You came!” In that moment, not even the sun could shine as brightly as Junhui’s smile.

Jihoon wishes he wouldn’t look so happy to see him. It makes the emptiness in his chest all the more apparent. 

But poor, miserable Jihoon is like a helpless moth when it comes to Junhui. Instead of pushing him away or spewing out insults, JIhoon sits there and lets Junhui slide next to him, wrapping an arm over his shoulder.

He shouldn’t, but he does it anyway. He lets the older pull him closer, and he relents to his torturous fate. There’s a faint smell of soap, skin, and something citrusy. Jihoon’s always associated lemons with Junhui, which makes sense seeing as the guy eats them for snacks. Just the thought of something that sour makes Jihoon shudder.

But it was a bad move on his part. Because now Junhui pulls away to take a closer look at him.

“Jihoonie?” he calls, voice too sweet for someone who loves sour things. “Are you cold?” 

“Why would I be cold in the middle of goddamn summer, idiot?”

Junhui doesn’t withdraw. Of course not. He just laughs that musical laugh of his and squishes Jihoon’s small shoulder in his large hand. “Just let me know, okay? You can borrow my jacket.”

“No thanks. Not really looking forward to the jokes about my size,” he mutters darkly.

“Nothing wrong with being fun size!”

He can’t help it. His fist flies out on its own accord and crashes into the slender muscles. 

“ _Oof!_ ” the giant child groans, but his stupid grin is still there, and he makes no attempt to extract his arm from Jihoon’s shoulders. “You know I’m just kidding,” he comments once he catches his breath, messing with the peach colored strands.

The latter feigns irritation and clicks his tongue, scowling at his companion as he jerks his head away. Junhui scrunches his nose in an annoyingly cute way, and what’s left of Jihoon’s fake anger evaporates like dew under the morning sun. He lets out another long sigh.

“We need another player!” Jeonghan calls and waves toward them. “Jihoon! Come on!”

“Pass!”

“Then Junhui can join, and we’ll just switch the partners.”

His sitting companion agrees readily, and he leaves Jihoon with nothing but a beaming smile. His heart flutters again, and he forces his head to turn away from the broad shoulders and charming grin.

Sometimes, he lets his mind wander. All the way back to that day after their sophomore year, when Wonwoo first approached him about his soulmate. Should he have told him the truth? That the reason he understood Wonwoo’s predicament so well is because he is living through it, too? Should he have shown him what hides under all of these armbands? 

Jihoon recalls the day Soonyoung introduced Junhui to the group. Wonwoo had sat next to him, twitching every damn time Junhui so much as looked over at them. But Wonwoo couldn’t have possibly known that Jihoon felt just as nervous and scared. Which was ridiculous once you got to know Junhui. But at the time, he had tried so hard to not make eye contact. Unlike Wonwoo who kept his gaze on their new friend the entire lunch period. Apparently that had been the right approach, since they eventually realized they were each other’s soulmates. Wonwoo embraced it, while Jihoon denied it.

Every time he allows himself to reflect on the past, Jihoon wonders how different things would have gone, if he had answered Junhui with the full truth when he was asked about his soulmate. Wonwoo would have most likely felt the biggest betrayal. But would Jihoon be happy in that hypothetical future? He’s not sure, and that’s why he stopped himself from revealing too much. 

Wonwoo’s better for Junhui anyhow. He’s capable of showing feelings, he's okay with Junhui’s show of affection, no matter how inappropriate they could be sometimes. They make each other happy, and Jihoon should be happy for his friends. Logic tells him Wonwoo deserves it because he was brave enough to go through it, while Jihoon refused and withdrew.

But the heart is a fickle creature. It can’t help wishing.

_What if…_  

What if Jihoon had pulled Junhui aside that day after lunch, telling Wonwoo to go ahead to class first… 

What if Jihoon had shown Junhui his wrist, let the brunet see the words _Wen Junhui_ written there… 

Would Jihoon be jumping on Junhui’s back now and laughing as the older raced down the lawn with the other couples?

Would Junhui be gazing at him with fondness and affection reserved only for his other half?

Unable to bear the weight on his chest, Jihoon cuts his eyes away from the scene before him. He focuses his attention on his wrist. The others are too preoccupied with the game to see him, so he allows himself to pull the armband down far enough until the neat letters appear. Gingerly, he traces over the letters with a fingertip. 

What if he weren’t a coward… 

… He might know what it feels like to be loved unconditionally... What it feels like to kiss your soulmate.

Maybe Junhui would taste like the lemon sherbet he adores so much, Jihoon muses with a sad smile.

He finishes tracing the last N in the name, then slowly tugs the fabric back over the letters. The laughter from his friends is too loud. He can detect Junhui's too easily. He can't handle it today. After a few seconds fishing his pockets, he pulls out his phone and earbuds. One by one, he meticulously inserts the earbud into his ear, blocking out the rest of the world, if only for a few minutes. Leaning back on the palms of his hands, Jihoon closes his eyes and lifts his face to the sky. Then he dreams of a different dimension, an alternate universe where he has the courage to reach for what he wants.

Minutes. Hours. He’s not sure how much time passes, but at some point, he’s startled out of his reveries by a gentle tap on his shoulder. Jihoon flutters his eyes open, wincing at the bright sunlight shining directly into his pupils. 

Once he manages to readjust, he blinks a few times to clear the tears. A face comes into focus. Not just any face. 

Junhui’s. 

He’s grinning widely, dimples showing. 

For a second, Jihoon isn’t sure where he is or what’s happening. His mind is swirling with wishes and reality.

But then he notes an arm around Junhui’s neck. He follows the limb to reach its owner standing close by, also peering at Jihoon, although he’s not smiling at all. He has his trademark expressionless masks on.

_So I’m back to reality_. 

“What?” Jihoon demands, clearing his throat and scooting away from the taller boy. A look around shows the rest of the group starting to clean up.

“We’re going to get ice cream!” Junhui announces with flourish. “Come with us!”

It’s a request, and Jihoon has every right to decline. He has a whole drawer full of excuses. And yet when it comes down to refusing Junhui, Jihoon is just as hopeless as Wonwoo.

“Are you gonna pay for my cone?”

“Sure!” _Too bright. Too cheerful_. “What flavor do you want?”

He speaks without thinking. “Lemon sherbet.”

Junhui’s eyes turn round, and Wonwoo glances over in shock. “Really?”

Jihoon can be an ass when he wants to be, but even he can’t burst that bubble of innocent excitement and thrill. And so he misses his chance to ask for something he’ll actually enjoy eating without making weird faces the whole time. So he buries the dull ache in his chest and forces a smile. “Yeah, sure, why not?”

“Awesome! Let’s goooooo!” In one swoosh—Jihoon isn’t sure how he manages to do it so fast without accidentally hitting any of them in the face—he slinks out from under Wonwoo’s arm in order to grab his hand and lace their fingers together. Then in the same instant, he takes hold of Jihoon’s hand and does the same. Squeezing both sets of hands, he throws the group a smirk full of mischief as he shouts, “Last one to the shop pays for everyone!”

Then before Jihoon can compute what’s happening, he rushes down the path, laughing like a little kid.

Maybe, Jihoon thinks, catching the giggles along with Junhui, maybe this will be enough for now…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry...
> 
> Both for making my first attempt writing JunHoon into angst, and for probably butchering Jihoon's voice. (⋟﹏⋞)
> 
> Pls tell me what to fix so that i may get better writing for them. Once again, I am sorryyyyyy

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo!
> 
> Another fic that went over my personal word limit. Oops. Also, i was supposed to write like 3-4 other things, but i was attacked by this idea, and i had to get it written out. It's not very fluffy, but coming after the previous Group Chat, it should be a nice change of pace, right? ok, i'm gonna stop rambling now.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! \\(^_^)/
> 
> P.S.: hope to see you on Ch. 2 (which i will apologize in advance for...)


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